MONROVIA – Few critics speak on the economy with Amara M. Konneh’s weight. The Gbarpolu senator once ran Liberia’s finance ministry. Now he has read two international reports side by side. The World Bank and the U.S. State Department, he argues, reached one verdict. Growth has returned, but jobs have not, and corruption still repels investors. Konneh credits President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for stability, which blunts any charge of partisanship. His sharper point is about the presidency itself. He suggests the President is poorly briefed and needs an enforcer. That is a midterm warning from a lawmaker who says he wants government to succeed. The ARREST Agenda now faces a credibility test, as THE ANALYST reports.
Gbarpolu County Senator Amara M. Konneh has warned the Boakai administration that economic growth alone is not enough, urging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to fix the structure of the economy and fight corruption.
Konneh made the call after two major international assessments of Liberia, which he said reached the same conclusion despite being written by different institutions.
In a statement titled “Two Major Reports, One Message to the Boakai Administration: Growth Is Not Enough. Fix the Structure. Fight Corruption,” Konneh noted that both assessments were released in the last month.
They are the World Bank’s seventh Liberia Economic Update, titled “Beyond Growth: Addressing Structural Constraints to Job-Rich Growth,” released November 3, 2026, and the United States (U.S.) State Department’s 2026 Investment Climate Statement on Liberia.
Konneh Credits Macroeconomic Stability
Konneh acknowledged what he called the good news everyone wants to celebrate. Liberia’s economy grew 5.1 percent in 2025, up from 4.0 percent in 2024, he noted, adding that mining grew 17 percent, exports surged, the budget deficit narrowed to 2.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), debt fell to 55.1 percent of GDP, and inflation came down.
“The math is right, but the market is still hungry; people are still complaining,” he stated.
The senator went further to commend the administration. “Let me repeat: President Boakai and his team deserve credit for macroeconomic stability,” Konneh declared.
Poverty, Informality, Spending Cuts Flagged
Konneh stressed, however, that both reports tell a hard truth. Citing the World Bank, he noted that extreme poverty rose from 34.6 percent to 36.1 percent even as GDP grew, that 78 percent of workers are in informal self-employment, and that 86 percent of firms are micro-enterprises.
Agriculture, where most Liberians work, grew only 2.6 percent, while capital spending was cut from 8.5 percent to 5.7 percent of GDP. “We increased the budget by cutting the future,” he observed.
Corruption Tops Investors’ Barriers
On the State Department’s assessment, Konneh stated that the government says Liberia is open for business on paper, but corruption remains the number one barrier. Investors, he noted, report demands for unofficial payments for permits, contracts, customs and concessions.
He added that the judiciary is weak, with limited capacity, allegations of bribery and lengthy delays, so contracts cannot be enforced. Infrastructure, including expensive and unreliable electricity, bad roads and limited internet, makes business costly, he pointed out.
“Put together: We have growth without jobs, and potential without confidence,” Konneh declared.
He maintained that investors are interested, citing remarks by the U.S. Embassy’s new Chargé d’Affaires, Kristin Gilmore, at the Liberia International Mining and Energy Conference on October 28.
“The question is no longer whether American businesses are considering Liberia. They are. The question is whether Liberia can attract them and give them confidence to stay,” Gilmore said, as quoted by Konneh.
“Confidence does not come from press releases. It comes from structural reforms,” the senator stressed.
‘Your People Are Crying’
Addressing the President directly, Konneh insisted that the international community is not attacking Liberia.
“Those of us flagging the same issues these reports point out before they are released are not against your government; we are helping you govern well by pointing out things you may not see or be adequately briefed on,” he stated. “We are telling you the truth because we want Liberia to succeed.”
“Growth is up, but the people are down,” Konneh declared, warning that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have become a blind fiscal risk and that the underemployment trap is deepening.
The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, he argued, will succeed only if the government moves from stabilization to structural transformation, and from anti-corruption talk to anti-corruption action.
“Mr. President, your people are crying! They don’t feel rescued at midterm; you need an enforcer on your team, someone who tells your folks the hard truth,” Konneh concluded.